Forever
by Fluffy's Lady
Summary: It's so easy to promise forever when you're young. It gets more difficult as time goes on, though. Arrietty finds out just what it takes to keep that promise and how to make forever worth the pain.
1. Chapter 1

Oh dear… because I can and I loved Arrietty. That's why. Also, this is going to be an experiment in my writing. No steady updates, just when I can. I have never used first person before so critique away! I'm totally open to constructive criticism.

* * *

><p>Forever<p>

Chapter 1

* * *

><p>It's so easy to talk about forever when you're young. It's easy to promise to never forget, to love, to be friends with someone forever. It's so easy at first. Then, life happens. Things that are out of your control spin around wildly, laughing and mocking your attempts at deciding things for yourself. Choices appear but you don't really get to choose. Someone else does. You're under iLife'si thumb. Under iFate's/i thumb. You're forced into a situation you wanted to avoid, tried to avoid. But all your avoiding put you there anyway. Running around and ignoring the rules will do that to you.

It did to me.

I ignored my father's warnings to stay away from the human beans, to keep out of sight. I ignored the truth; I was actively putting my family in danger.

"But he didn't see me!" the words rang hollow the second time. He saw me the first time after all. Fourteen years of practicing "day and night" to hide when a human comes near doesn't count for much when they actually catch a glimpse. Human's curiosity is nearly insatiable once started.

Haru's was.

Sho's was.

Sho was different, though. He only wanted to help in his misunderstanding, egotistical human way. He wanted to protect me. That was a sweet notion but I could take care of myself. I was perfectly capable of avoiding humans. Except him. He was the only one who had ever seen me. Even Haru had never noticed me. She just got lucky that Mother was in the kitchen when she lifted the roof off.

Luck always wins, it seems. Too bad I didn't know that in the beginning. Or perhaps I did, I just didn't want to acknowledge it. Isn't there some enormous bird that sticks its head in the ground to avoid danger? I was doing that. Except I was trying to ignore reality. Beans and Borrowers don't mix.

But Sho and I did.

It always comes back to him. To Sho. He saved my life. He helped save my mother's life. I am deeply, truly grateful to have a friend like him. He didn't ask for anything in return. He didn't want me to be his pet, to sing and dance for my supper. He just wanted to help. To protect me like he said in the garden. He did protect me, after all. From the crow, from Haru and from despair when Haru took my mother.

He told me I gave him a reason to live. Well, he gave me a reassurance to trust. Papa once told me that I didn't always have to run when I saw a bean. I could stop and judge them first then decide. He told me that but didn't listen to my opinion on Sho. I was still too young then, I suppose. Fourteen doesn't amount to anything in the face of all the years of experience he had gained.

These long, drawn out eight years have given me some of my father's wisdom. Rather, I have earned it. I can survive on my own. I am capable of protecting myself. But I live with my parents because I love them. And I miss Sho's declarations of protection.

Call me crazy, but I do.

I don't tell anyone, though. My mother would worry and my father would scowl. He would disapprove. That is something I haven't seen from him since we left the bean house and moved into this abandoned spider's nest. The spider must have been a large one, for the single room he had created underground was bigger than our old living room.

We expanded on it over the eight years as my parents expanded our family. My little brother and sister look up to me. I suppose they should since I taught them a lot about scavenging. I haven't taught them about borrowing. There hasn't been a need to. We don't live near any human houses.

My sister adores Spiller. He drops by every now and then and I suspect he may have some affection for me, but doesn't know how to express it. It's just as well anyways, since I don't feel anything but friendship towards him. Right now, I just want to know how Sho is doing.

I go to sleep at night worry about him. I wake up wondering if his surgery went well. Obsessed? Probably. But I can't stand not knowing. Each time I scavenge I go out just a little bit farther, stay out just a little bit longer. There is always that vain hope that I will spot him. But it's vain, I know. We are too far from anything human. Besides, I was just a little borrower—no more than a few inches tall to him. My papa was tall for a borrower, though, so was Mother's papa. There is the secret hope I keep that I will be tall like them, too. Already I am taller than Mother. Still, not quite as tall as Papa.

Today, as the sun beats down on me through the canopy of those looming trees, I just sit and watch. I don't watch anything in particular. I just watch. I watch the buds of a pink flower slowly open to greet the late sun. I watch the bees flit from flower to flower. I watch the grasshoppers spring from grassy patch to grassy patch. I just watched.

And imagined.

I imagined I could hear Sho calling for me. I smiled, resting my chin on my arm. I imagined I could feel the ground shake with his steps. I imagined the joy on his face at seeing me again. But it was just my siblings calling for their sister and the river rushing a few yards away. The shaking ground wasn't rhythmic enough to be footsteps.

I sighed and stood, dusting off my red dress. I turned and waved to my siblings who were running towards me.

"I'm coming!" I yelled as they laughed and raced each other.


	2. Chapter 2

I do not own anything related to "Arrietty" or "The Borrowers" nor do I make any sort of profit from them. If I did...well, I wouldn't be sitting here writing this fanfiction. I'd be selling it for money and it would be legitimate fiction. :P

* * *

><p>Forever<p>

Chapter 2

* * *

><p>The twins pounced as we closed the distance between each other, tackling me to the ground with their combined weight. They laughed and squealed as we rolled in the dirt and leaves. The late winter grass crackled as we tumbled, smearing us with the last of its green coloring. We stopped close to the winding river bank and I was thankful that we hadn't rolled over. It was a steep drop to the water below. The current was swift and would sweep away a borrower within seconds.<p>

A small cross planted there was testament to that.

After the untangling of our limbs, my brother grabbed one of my hands and my sister the other. Both children began to haul me back towards our home.

"Come on!" their sing-song voices chorused together. "Mother said supper will be ready soon and Papa said he has a surprise for us!"

I smiled and played along. This was a familiar routine. The twins never sat still for very long and loved being outside. When the light started fading and the dark growing, Mother would lure the twins in with supper and Papa would have a "surprise" that would keep them occupied inside our home until bedtime. It was comforting to have something set and steady every night. After all the chaos of the past years, stability was a gift. I cherished it.

Because it never lasted very long.

I have learned to take the good moments with the bad. You have to. Otherwise, if you focus only on the bad things, you let your life fall around your ears and you forget that good things can happen. Mother almost let the bad moments consume her for a long time after my brother wandered off the river bank. He was between the twins and myself and would have been twelve tomorrow.

But I don't dwell on it. He was here and we loved him and that is all that matters.

As the night grew deeper, the twins grew sleepier and my family grew quieter. Papa seemed especially quiet tonight, but I couldn't tell if it was the good quiet or the bad. Sometimes it was just better to wait it out and let whatever was happening either show itself or resolve itself.

"Arrietty," Mother began after the twins had been asleep for a while. She put down the pestle she was crushing seeds with, wiping her hands on her apron and going to stand by Papa. "I'm pregnant."

My eyes doubled in size, I could tell by the way my eyelashes touched my eyebrows. For a moment, everything was quiet before laughter spilled between the three of us. I ran to my parents, hugging both of them in turn and then together. Mother's eyes welled up with tears as she looked around our home.

"We'll have to expand again," she said. I nodded in agreement.

Papa chuckled and we sat down around the table once more to discuss rooms and sizes, additions, names, colors, decorations and anything else that could possibly pertain to having children. The darkness outside our little home grew deeper and deeper, the candles and lanterns that lit our home becoming more and more necessary. A strong wind blew through the forest, rattling the roof and sending a draft to extinguish most of the lights. Mine was the only one that stayed lit and I quickly tried to relight the rest.

Mother called out in the dark, telling me not to bother. It was late, she said, and past time for all of us to sleep.

We parted ways in the dark and I walked down the hallway to my room. I quietly closed the door behind me before dressing for bed and curling up beneath the covers. I shivered a bit in the chilly air, wishing I had started a fire in the hearth before the lights had gone out. It was too late to do anything now so I just curled in a ball and forced myself to sleep.

I woke up early, as usual. Sliding out of bed, I darted to my bathroom and hopped from rug to rug, trying to avoid the cold dirt floor. I poured some of the chilly water from the pitcher into the bowl, scrubbing my arms and face and wishing for the days when we lived in a bean house where we could borrow electricity for hot water and showers. I dried off and darted back into my room, changing into some warmer clothes and pulling on my boots.

I ran the pine brush through my hair, wincing at a few snags. I pulled it back into its usual messy knot, jabbing a long, thin piece of bark through it. The bark had been hewn and polished, carefully smoothed out until splinters no longer came from it. At the end, I had borne a hole into it and tied a couple pieces of shiny beetle shell onto it for decoration. A quick glance in the mirror told me everything was set and in place.

The house was still quiet, the only one up other than me was Papa. He was standing in the kitchen, building a fire in the stove for Mother to make breakfast. I smiled and waved before grabbing a dried berry and piece of bread and heading out the door.

I started foraging early in the mornings, right before the sun actually came up. That was the best time. Most of the birds are still asleep and the night-time predators had already gone to bed. Every now and then, though, some animal proves me wrong. A few weeks ago, I had a close encounter with a river martin. It was a female with a litter of kits and I got just a bit too close by accident. Thankfully, her first response was to scare me, rather than eat me. I slowly backed away, watching her at all times. She seemed satisfied after a little bit and hustled her kits back down the river bank and into the relative safety of the water.

The morning was cool and the rough breeze brought me back to the present. I shivered just a bit but pressed on. It would warm up soon enough and a jacket would only be a burden in the later afternoon. I trudged through the forest, scavenging what I could find of the winter berries, tree bark scratched off by various animals and anything else I thought might be useful. My standards weren't that high, but I knew what I was looking for.

The problem came in the late afternoon. I was reluctantly beginning to make my way back towards the house, having absolutely no luck in finding any of the sweet berries I knew would soon appear. I was still scanning the ground and didn't realize just how close to the edge of the river I had gotten. Dirt crumbled from beneath my feet, sending me careening down the steep slope and landing dangerously close to the water's edge.

Later in spring, this river would be topping its banks, but since it was still winter, the river was greatly lessened. That is why I landed on exposed muddy river bed, instead of actually in the water. I lay still, checking to make sure everything moved and I was still alive before daring to sit up. I made it to my hands and knees but collapsed when I tried to bear weight on my left leg.

I cried out and sank back into the mud, immediately running my hands down my leg. Thankfully, I couldn't feel a fracture and everything moved like it wasn't broken. However, there was an obvious swelling around my knee. Already it was nearly double the size of my fist. Tears welled up in my eyes. With my knee this swollen in just a couple minutes, I wasn't going to be moving on my own for a while.

Something chittered ahead of me and my heart froze. Slowly, I glanced up to find an enormous raccoon dog staring me down. My heart started again. It raced in my chest, thundering in my ears.

"Oh dear god." The words spilled out of my mouth before I could think of anything else. The creature before me was obviously a male, and probably a young one from the way he zealously guarded what must have been a female behind him. He chuffed at me again, most likely a warning to get away.

I tried crawling backwards, but managed to jab my knee against a rock. I screamed involuntarily and this only served to set the male more on edge. He howled at me and began to advance.

"Help! Someone!" I cried, tears freely flowing down my face. "Please someone help me!" I tried to stand. As much as it hurt to put any weight on my leg, I had to get out of there, and quickly. I hobbled along, looking over my shoulder as the male started coming at me quicker.

"i_Help!/i_" My lungs hurt with every scream but I had to yell. If I was lucky, someone might notice and save me.

I hit a soft patch of mud as I ran. It swallowed my feet for a second and sent me tumbling end over end. My knee was twisted farther in the process and I screamed again. I was all out sobbing at this point when the male came even closer. He chittered angrily, teeth flashing in the late afternoon sun.

"Please, don't," I whimpered, curling into a little ball and closing my eyes. Suddenly, my waist was in a vice grip and I was lifted into the air. I dared to open my eyes only to find fingers closing beneath me, supporting my entire body as I was lifted higher. I tried to turn and see if I could figure out anything about the bean that had somehow found me this far back in the woods but his thumb blocked my view.

I heard a deep voice rumble around me, asking me if I was alright. I couldn't speak, I couldn't move. I was absolutely frozen in terror. The voice returned, shooing away the angry male howling far below me. My world was suddenly movement again, shaking and unsteady. It leveled out after a minute before it became a slight up, down and forward movement.

The voice-distinctly male from the deep tones-spoke again, trying to reassure me that everything was going to be fine. My world stopped moving and the semi-darkness of his fingers brightened to the forest sunlight as he turned his hand palm-up. I sat up, looking all around and trying to find a way down. My chest rose and fell in time with my rapid, scared breathing. This wasn't good. Some unknown bean had wandered into our woods. What would happen if he found our house? The twins? I was shaking and contemplating simply jumping off when what he spoke next captured my attention.

"Arrietty? Are you alright?" My eyes locked onto his enormous face, trying to figure out just how this huge bean could possibly know my name. The dark hair, longer than I remembered, the dark brown eyes, just as gentle as when I said goodbye.

"S-sho?" Oh, I hoped it was. I hoped it was more than anything else.

His smile confirmed it. "Arrietty, I missed you."

I broke down in tears, much to his horror. I scrambled across his palm-so much bigger than I remembered-and wrapped my arms around his thumb. He missed me? Probably not nearly as much as I had missed him. But he was back. He was back and he was real.

I felt his fingers brush gently against my back, trying to comfort me.

"Arrietty, what's wrong?" He brought me closer to his chest, held me near as he walked through the forest. I didn't think about it just then. I was only happy he was here. Alive and well, apparently. His new, strong heart beat in his chest, a sign to me of just how much he had changed. Those gentle fingers, though, so soft and warm, told me he really hadn't changed all that much.

"I'm just, so happy to see you." I was, but my knee was killing me as well. I didn't want to tell him that, though. No need to make him worry more than he already was. I wasn't given much of a choice, though, when Sho lifted me higher and offered me our old position on his shoulder. I bit her lip and looked down, my strong facade falling with defeat.

"I can't. I'm sorry." He looked at me in confusion, probably half expecting me to tell him to put me down or leave me alone. I brushed a hand across my now very swollen knee. "I twisted it when I fell into the river bottom." I chewed my lip, turning a bright red at how clumsy and silly I must sound. "Then I hit it against a rock when I was trying to escape the raccoon dog. I can't stand on it."

The confused look left his face only to be replaced by a deep frown. He stopped and looked around then back at me. "Do you live out here? With your family?" At my nod he was quiet and thought for a moment. "Where are they? I'll take you to them so they can look after your leg. But," he leveled me with perhaps the most serious and determined look I had ever seen him wear. "I'm not just going to leave you with them. I want to spend a little while with you." His features softened into a warm, comforting smile. "I always said I would protect you. Just because it's been eight years doesn't mean I won't now."

I smiled and rested my head on his thumb. He seemed just as naiive and egotistical as the day we met. Papa would probably be very disappointed and might try to make us move, but he would have to understand Sho had just saved my life. I sat up, reluctantly letting go of his thumb as I looked around and tried to figure out just where I was.

I jumped a bit when Sho knelt to the ground, holding his hand lower for me as I searched. I turned and smiled at him. How did he know I was really too high to figure out just where we were? He smiled back and I continued to get my bearings. After I moment, I recognized the spot on the river bank from this morning where I had stopped to have lunch.

"That way," I pointed. "Just keep following the river bank. We live a few minutes on this side of the bank."

"How?" he asked as we walked. Well, he walked and I rode in his hand.

"We found an abandoned trap-spider's nest underground. We just moved in and expanded." I shrugged. There really wasn't much to my story over the last few years.

"So what were you doing out here? So far from your house?"

I blushed and ducked against his thumb. "Would you believe me if I said looking for you? I just," I took a deep breath. "I missed you so much. I constantly wondered if you had survived your surgery. So, when I went foraging for food, I looked for you."

He chuckled and I blushed again. His free hand came and brushed against my back and one knuckle oh-so-gently against my face. I leaned into the touch, craving the reassurance that he really was here.

"My turn to ask questions. What were _you _doing so far out here? I've never seen a human in the eight years we've lived out here." I leaned into his thumb again, watching for the spot that marked where I always turned to go home.

"Would you believe me if I said looking for you?" I blinked and shook my head. "Well I was," he continued, watching me the whole time. "Everyday on my drive home, I stop and search for any sign of you. You're actually not too far from the cottage. Today, something drew me deeper into the woods than normal. That's when I heard you scream."

It was quiet for a little bit, each of us lost in our thoughts. I was thankful he rescued me, and trying to think of some way Papa wouldn't move us all over again. After a short period of time, I broke the silence.

"Turn left here. Just keep going straight back." I tried to adjust how long he should walk before we came upon my house. It would be a lot shorter for him than it was for me.

"Just tell me when to slow down. I don't want to walk on top of your house," he said. I had to giggle. Simply the thought of him doing an abrupt stop to avoid the house made me laugh. He smiled down at me, probably unsure of what I was giggling about but happy that I was smiling. I stretched out on my stomach, watching the ground beneath us go by.

My smile was gone almost instantly.

Large raccoon dog tracks were headed straight for the house. Fear shivered down my spine, raising the fine hair on the back of my neck.

"Sho! Walk faster!" He gave me an odd look but complied. My heart was racing again as his legs thundered across the ground. Sho must have been paying more attention than I was because the sudden stop jolted me loose from his thumb. Automatically, the rest of his fingers curled closed over me, steadying me in his hand.

After he was sure I wasn't going to fall, his hand opened back up and his dark brown eyes locked onto my face.

"Arrietty," his voice trailed off and my breath hitched in my throat. Oh no. Oh please, please no.

I scrambled across his hand as quick as I could, looking out over his fingertips at the destruction of my house below me. No. No. Oh dear god, no! I cried, trying to stand but falling back on my butt as my leg gave out.

"Down. Put me down!" I had to see, had to know for sure. The twins! I had to check on the twins. And Mother. And Papa. I had to know they were alright.

"Arrietty," his voice was soft, sympathetic.

"_Put me down!_" His lips thinned out but he did as I requested, lowering me to the forest floor and the edge of my home. I slid off his hand, hopping on one leg as I slipped down and into the pit. It had obviously been dug up by something-probably the raccoon dog that left the tracks.

"Mother! Papa!" I called out their names time and time again. I called for the twins, hopping down their hall, my hall, our parents' hall. Nothing. There was no answer. The entry to the halls were scarred with teeth and claw marks, furniture had been overturned and there were obvious signs of things being dragged.

I collapsed on my parents' bed, curling up and sobbing. My heart hurt worse than my knee did. I was alone, I realized. Completely and utterly alone. I don't know how long I lay there crying before Sho's voice reached me.

"Arrietty?" he called, his voice rising a bit with concern. "Arrietty, are you in there? Are you okay?" I wanted to get up, to go back outside and talk with him, but I couldn't. I was far too tired to move. Sleep claimed me even as his name slipped from my lips.

I don't know how long I slept, only that when I woke up, the house was pitch black and it was cold again. I shivered and slid out of my parents' bed, hobbling into the bathroom. I splashed my face with water that was left in the basin. My hands fumbled for the lantern Mother always kept on the counter.

My fingers touched the metal and curled around it before my other hand sought out the matches. I struck one against the wood counter and lit the old lantern. When the flame was strong, I searched out some bandages and rags. I splinted my knee as best I could, throwing all the bandages and medicine I could find into the sack Mother carried when we moved here eight years ago. My hands stroked the stitches she and I had worked so hard on. I cried again, there on the cold dirt of the bathroom floor.

After a few minutes, I dried my tears and stood shakily. With a busted knee and heavy heart, I made my way back into the living room. Of all the things I had expected to find, it certainly wasn't Sho sitting outside, intently watching and waiting for me.

"Arrietty," he sighed in relief. "I'm glad you're alright. You had me worried when you didn't come out."

I plopped down in a chair, shocked that he had actually waited. "How long have I been gone?"

He watched me carefully. Well, what little he could see of me in the lantern glow. "Nearly four hours."

I blinked, completely floored. "And you waited for me this entire time?"

He smiled and tears welled up in my eyes again. "Of course, I said I would protect you didn't I? Are you...ready to leave?" His voice dropped, softened with sympathy as he spoke.

I looked around the room, thinking of all the memories I had stored here. No, I really wasn't ready. But what choice did I have? My family was gone. My home was destroyed. I was alone.

"Where will I go? I don't know of any other Borrowers except Spiller, and it's been nearly three months since we've seen him." Warm, gentle fingers reached into the hole and brushed the side of my body.

"With me, of course," Sho responded as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "You'll come back to the cottage with me. You'll be safe there."

I looked up at him, way, way up. It finally occurred to me, the broadness of the shoulders, the width of the chest and the defined arms, that the twelve year old boy I had known was now a twenty year old man. I looked down at my feet. How could I intrude on his life? He had a job. He probably had a family.

"I-I can't. I can't just barge into your life. You're an adult now. With a job. A family. You probably have a girlfriend or a wife or something." I bit my lip, squeezing my eyes closed tight. "Besides, what kind of company is a little Borrower for an adult Bean?"

Those fingers that had been so gentle just a moment ago stopped. They rested against my side, letting me lean into them. I didn't want him to leave, but I could never stop him from having the best life he possibly could.

"Arrietty." I didn't want to look up at him. "Arrietty. Listen to me. I have a job, but I work from home three of the five days a week. I'm a graphic designer. I design websites, company logos, images and campaign sites. I live by myself. I don't have a wife or a girlfriend. I never have since I met you." His fingers tipped my head backwards, forcing me to look at him. "And never, never think you're not good company for me. Your company is what I have been missing these past eight years. I don't want to lose you now that I've finally found you again."

A slow, tremulous smile spread across my lips inspite of myself. How could I refuse after all that? My company was what he had been missing? He didn't want to lose me? What was I supposed to do then?

"Okay. I just need to get some clothes." He smiled down at me and my smile grew. His hand withdrew and I hobbled down my hall, throwing all my clothes into the giant sack. I grabbed my borrowing bag and tossed it over my shoulder before limping back down the hall. Sho's hand appeared before me and I gratefully collapsed in it. My knee was throbbing in time with my heart beat and it hurt more than when I originally injured it.

He took the sack from me and put it in one of his jacket pockets as he stood. He was about to start walking away when I stopped him.

"Wait, Sho, could you...would you...bury it?" My voice broke on the last two words but I managed not to cry this time. Those large, soft brown eyes of his just watched me for a moment before he nodded.

"I'll put you in my shirt pocket. You'll be safe and warm there." I leaned into his thumb, giving it one more hug before he carefully stowed me in his pocket.

I watched, enraptured as he managed to fill the hole with a few handfuls of dirt, twigs and leaves. He gently patted it before looking down at me. I just watched as the ground grew smaller and smaller. Then he turned and that was the last I saw of my home.


	3. Chapter 3

I do not own anything related to "Arrietty" or "The Borrowers" nor do I make any sort of profit from them. If I did...well, I wouldn't be sitting here writing this fanfiction. I'd be selling it for money and it would be legitimate fiction. :P

* * *

><p>Forever<p>

Chapter 3

* * *

><p>It was quiet on the trip back to the road. Sho didn't speak much, probably letting me be alone with my thoughts. I wanted to speak, to not think, but the quiet was too thick to break. So I was left with my thoughts. My mind raced in circles, trying to figure out how to look at the day's events. On the one hand, the only thing I had really wished for over the last eight years had finally come true. Sho was alive and well and back in my life. On the other hand, I had just lost my entire family and my home. My heart was heavy in my chest and, yet, seemed to soar with new wings thanks to Sho. I was very confused.<p>

I sighed and tried to find a more comfortable position. The pocket was just wide enough that if I sat down fully on the bottom, I could stretch my knees out just a little. Right now, that was what I wanted most. My knee was cramping and I could feel the tension from the swelling. I shifted again and had to bite back a yelp when my knee was forced to bend farther.

Sho glanced down at me, a frown pulling at his mouth. "Arrietty? Are you alright?"

I sighed again as I tried to turn onto my side and get into a comfortable position.

"Yes," I lied, "I'm just trying to find a more comfortable position."

He stopped completely and reached a couple fingers down into his pocket. "Here, I'll carry you in my hand for the rest of the way. Your knee is probably bothering you, isn't it?"

"No," I lied again. "It's doing a lot better now. I just can't fully sit down in your pocket is all." The truth came out, though, when he lifted me out. My face contorted in pain as my tender-to-the-touch knee brushed against the button. A hiss escaped from between my teeth when he set me down in his hand. It was very slow and gentle, but any movement of my knee at all had me cringing in pain. I felt my stomach churn, threatening to empty its contents as the pain made itself freshly aware in my mind.

I gave a tight, shameless grin when he scowled. "Okay, it hurts."

Sho sighed and shook his head, shifting slightly and digging in his jacket pocket. He pulled out his cell phone and held down a single button.

"Arrietty, I can't drive home with you. I drive a sport motorcycle to work. I have to lean low over it. You would have to ride in my shirt pocket on the way back." I opened my mouth to protest when he cut me off. "I trust my sister. She'll come pick us up."

I blanched, scared that he was calling another bean. Had I misjudged him after all? He was keen on keeping me hidden when Haru had come to scare off the crow, but now he was actually calling someone else to drive him home. I started to shiver in his hand and he brought me close to his broad chest, mistaking my fear for being cold. He held me close, his fingers curled up as a barrier against the night, as he talked on the phone with someone.

It took him a couple rounds to make the person on the other end of the phone that, yes, he did need them right now. And that, no, he wasn't on the dirt road after Chokeberry Lane; it was the dirt road three turns before. Finally, he said goodbye and hung up.

I couldn't hold my tongue.

"Sho! Why did you call someone else?" I couldn't believe he had just done that. I was in shock. "I would have been fine in your pocket!"

The young man that literally held my life in his hand squatted down, holding me level with his face. A little smile tilted up the corners of his mouth as he spoke. It wasn't a mocking, sardonic or "I'm-in-control-of-you" smile. It was just a small smile to try and ease my fear as he tried to reassure my trust.

"Arrietty, you would not have been comfortable at all in my pocket. Maybe if you hadn't hurt your knee you would have been fine. But since you can hardly bend it, I don't think it's best to try and make you ride in a cramped position for more than twenty minutes." His fingers came up to brush against my side. I had a feeling if I was his size, he would have hugged me close. As it was, I still felt utterly secure in his hand.

"My sister is my dad's oldest child. He had an affair before I was born and she was born from it." His eyes seemed to glaze over in the dim moonlight as he spoke. Something about his voice kept me quiet as he revealed a personal part of his family to me. "When my mom found out, she divorced him. That happened right before I met you. As odd as it may sound, if it had not been for her, I wouldn't have met you. I would have stayed at home with my dad the week before the surgery."

I nodded and leaned into the hand that was still resting against me. If Sho trusted her, I guess that would be enough. He kept me hidden from Haru and from his aunt. He saved my mother and saved me—twice. The least I could do was trust his opinion on his sister.

Sho stood straight and brought me back close to his chest. I leaned back against him as he walked, watching the night continue around us. I must have dozed off, because the next thing I knew, he was gently calling for me to wake up. Around the curve of the road, a pair of bright headlights shone. A large truck rumbled up the dirt road, slowing to a stop when Sho was illuminated.

I lifted my hands to shield my face from the bright light, ever thankful when my human chose to shield my eyes instead of his own. He began walking again, passing the bike that was propped up and opening up the door to the immense vehicle.

"Mari, I really appreciate it." His voice rumbled around me, vibrating the chest at my back.

"Yeah, well, you had better be willing and ready to explain why you dragged me out here at almost ten at night." She cracked a large, gaping yawn and I blinked. It was that late? Normally, I was in bed, fast asleep by now. "Especially when I'm not feeling so good." Snapping green eyes sent a rather nasty glare towards my protector. I felt guilty for pitting him against his sister like this.

"We are," Sho replied in an even tone. I could have sworn he was smiling, too.

"'We'?" Mari parroted. "If you had me come pick you up because you had a late-night hook up and need a ride because that bike is only built for one I am going to leave your sorry—"

"Mari," Sho cut in, definitely smiling now. "That's not quite why I wanted you to pick me up." The hand shielding me lifted away, exposing me to the driver of the truck. I smiled and waved a little bit when she just stared, mouth agape.

"What in the world?"

I struggled to my feet and gave a little bow. "I'm Arrietty. I'm sorry to trouble you but I do appreciate you coming to pick us up."

Mari just nodded dumbly, mouth still looking like a gaping fish. "N-no p-problem…Sho?" she asked, her eyes never leaving me. "Why is there a little person standing in your hand?"

I had to smile. At least she wasn't taking pictures, calling other people or freaking out.

Sho laughed outright at Mari's expression. "Mari, Arrietty is a borrower. Do you remember when Aunt Sadako would always tell grandpa's stories about little people? And the doll house in the old cottage?"

"Vaguely," she hedged, still watching me. I sat back down, resting against Sho once more.

"It was her family. Well, her ancestors anyway. Not her specifically." Sho explained, continuing on with the story of how we met and why I'm with him now. When he finished telling about the destruction of my family and our home, Mari's eyes turned watery and soft.

"That is so brave of you! To keep on living after all that. Bless your heart. It's not a problem at all to come pick you up." Mari practically oozed compassion now. Not the arrogant compassion that was so evident when Sho was younger, just a genuine compassion for someone who had lost it all.

"'Bless your heart?'" I repeated. If anyone's heart needed "blessing" it would be Sho's.

Sho laughed again. "You'll have to excuse Mari. Her mother is from another country. They have different euphemisms when it comes to expressing sympathy. That's one of them. She doesn't literally mean to bless someone's heart."

"Oh." That was all I could say. This woman was very different indeed. His hand lowered me to the seat as Mari finally took her eyes off me and stepped out of the truck.

"I'll be right back, Arrietty. I need to load my motorcycle into the bed of the truck." He smiled as he closed the door. I wished I was able to see over the seats and watch him, or even be his height and help him. But, I was what I was. There was no changing that.

I started as the truck lurched forward just a bit, once more wishing I could know more than what I heard. I heard the _thud_ of what I supposed were the tires of the bike running against the cab wall. I heard the grinding of metal on metal, of fabric stretching and the slam of what could only be the tailgate. Laughter echoed around the constant _ding_ of the truck. The door opened and Sho reappeared.

"Come with me, Arrietty. I'm not going to sit up front. It's too dangerous for you." His hand settled palm-up beside me. I was confused but slid into his hand all the same. My legs dangled between his thumb and hand. My arms wrapped around his thumb, holding myself upright by leaning against it. I was tired. Even with the nap earlier, I was still exhausted. I rested my head on the top of this thumb and let my eyes close as he lifted me out of the truck. We were only outside long enough for him to shut the front door and open the back. He climbed in carefully and stretched out across the backseat.

He opened his jacket and settled me on his chest, right above his heart.

I blushed and rested against him. The leather of his jacket settled over me, warming me up further. I sighed and relaxed, stretching my knee to the most comfortable position. I looked up through the neck of the jacket, smiling when I saw Sho with his head tilted up at an obviously uncomfortable position just to make sure that I was comfortable.

I relaxed, lulled by his steady breathing and the comforting beat of his heart. He was so strong, so warm, so protective. I slipped into the realm of sleep before I realized what was going on. I vaguely heard a feminine voice question and Sho's deep reply which slightly rumbled my perch. I didn't mind, though, I was too far gone.


	4. Chapter 4

I do not own anything related to "Arrietty" or "The Borrowers" nor do I make any sort of profit from them. If I did...well, I wouldn't be sitting here writing this fanfiction. I'd be selling it for money and it would be legitimate fiction. :P

Slight, oh so slight you have to squint, crossover from the book. Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Forever<p>

Chapter 4

* * *

><p>The next time I opened my eyes, I was staring at a beautiful, ornate ceiling. I had no clue where I was. The last thing I remembered was seeing Sho. Then, nothing. I rubbed my head and sat up. Something fell to the floor with a dull, almost wet, thud. I frowned just a bit as I looked at the floor. Some sort of ice pack was slowly leaking the melted ice from a busted seam.<p>

I had absolutely no idea why I would need an ice pack on my knee. I touched the reddened skin and felt the chill left from the ice. I put my feet on the floor and stood. My breath was stolen at the pain of bearing weight on my left knee. The leg buckled and I collapsed to the floor.

"Mother! Papa!" I called. Surely they were around here somewhere? They wouldn't leave me in this strange place without them, right? I gasped and swung my head to face the wall. There was a slight scraping noise before the entire wall of the house swung away. A large, massive face with gentle brown eyes filled the empty space.

"Arrietty?" the voice called softly, trying to keep his voice low for my sake I suppose. My whole body shook and trembled. Suddenly, it all came crashing down on me. I began to drown in a surge of memories.

_Sho lifting me from the muddy river bed._

_Finding the raccoon-dog tracks._

_Searching my destroyed home for any signs of life._

_Sho filling in the empty pit._

_Meeting Mari._

_Falling asleep beneath my long-lost friend's jacket._

"Arrietty!" Sho's tone snapped me out of the memory-clouded fog. I was no longer drowning, but I found I couldn't breathe. I gasped, feeling like a fish out of water as one hand braced against the floor and the other reached for my throat. I was choking on the air I dragged through my chapped lips.

A broken, cracked sob forced its way from my mouth. My walls shattered completely as the grief washed over me. My eyes burned as reality leered at my attempts to deny it all. I didn't want my parents to be dead. I wanted the twins to bug me. I wanted Mama to tell me to stop daydreaming. I wanted Papa to worry over how I couldn't let go of the past.

I just wanted my family back.

"Mama." The word was a long, drawn out sob. It shuddered out of my chest, racking my body. I folded in on myself, hunched over with my arms now wrapped around my middle. I sobbed, simply calling out for my lost mother. How could this have happened? We were always so careful in keeping our home hidden.

I don't know how long I rocked back and forth on the cold floor of the strange dollhouse. I just know I felt utterly and completely alone in those seemingly eternal minutes. I know Sho eventually gently picked me up and held me close, not saying anything, just letting me cry. I think Mari came in at one point only to turn around and leave when she saw Sho holding me. I didn't care. It didn't matter if she stayed or went. I was alone either way.

Eventually I cried myself to sleep. When I woke up, Sho was still holding me close in those massively oversized hands of his. He was still in the same spot when I fell asleep. This just brought fresh tears to my eyes. I felt absolutely horribly guilty that he was giving up so much of his time and his life to take care of me.

I cringed when he brushed his fingers against my back, breaking into another round of tears when he instantly pulled his hand away with a murmured apology. I didn't mean to hurt him. It was just so very, very different from when we were children together. He was so much larger, so much older.

So much stronger.

There was an irrational fear in my head that he would hurt me. I knew he would never do it on purpose, but that snide, logical part of my mind told me it didn't have to be on purpose. Just a little too hard of a brush and I could end up with a broken limb. Then how would I set it? A leg wouldn't be that hard to fix, sure, but it would be almost impossible for me to set and bind a broken arm by myself. Sho would certainly be of little use. His fingers would be far too big to help.

The increase in gravity as he lifted me higher brought me back into the moment.

"Arrietty," his voice was lowered for my sake, but still loud. "Arrietty, I'm not going to hurt you. You should know this by now." I felt the slightest pressure from the pads of his fingers against the back of my head. The onset of tears had me leaning against those fingers. I felt so pitiful.

"Arrietty." His voice came again, so much closer than before. His warm breath washed over me and I opened my eyes. His brown ones looked down with such kindness and sympathy. I sniffed raggedly, determined not to cry again. I exhaled a deep breath as my body went limp in his hold.

His hand trembled beneath me ever so slightly. I wondered why. "Arrietty, I'll always be here for you. Just as long as you want me. I promise." It sounded so corny and so cheesy I couldn't help but smile just a bit.

A grin spread across Sho's face as he stood up from the bed. "Are you hungry? You fell asleep last night without eating anything."

Last night? I looked out the window and, sure enough, it was daylight. "How long was I asleep?" I scrubbed my tear-stained face.

"Close to twelve hours," he responded as he carried me out the door.

Twelve hours? My body must have shut down to recover from yesterday. I sighed, slumping down in his hand again. I watched as the hallway breezed by, not really caring that it seemed different from before. It didn't occur to me to even think about it. I stared at nothing, trying to avoid thinking about where my life was headed at this point. I could survive on my own, but I couldn't really _live._ Maybe if I could find Spiller, we could settle down and live together.

I sniffled quietly. Mama and Papa would have liked that. I always had this vague notion that they were trying to hook me up behind my back with Spiller. Spiller was everything a good outside Borrower should be. He was strong, smart, wary of humans and had plenty of homes and supplies stashed away in case of emergency. He had this uncannily strong Bean-feeling when a Bean was present or getting too close. He always knew when to run and when to hide.

We were halfway down the staircase when Sho spoke again. "Do you like the new cottage, Arrietty?" he asked.

I blinked and looked around, just noticing how truly different everything was. The railing on the stairs was simpler, there was no carpet runner and the wallpaper was gone. Even the grandfather clock that sat in the hall was gone. That brought a few new tears to my eyes. My namesake was gone.

I remembered when I asked my parents how we got the last name "Clock." Mother had crowed proudly about how we Clocks had lived under the floor for generations and that the grandfather clock in the hall hid our front door so well that no Bean had ever found it.

"It's changed." That was all I could really say. I never knew the cottage color-by-color, wallpaper-by-wallpaper before we moved. I knew the underside and outside and was just starting to learn the inside when Sho rearranged our house.

"Yes, it has." She seemed eager to talk. I let him. "A couple years after you moved out, there was a bad fire. The hot water heater exploded. Anyway, the house was practically embers by the time the fire department finally arrived. So Aunt Sadako and I rebuilt it."

"Oh. It's nice, Sho." There was a bit of an awkward pause but he seemed more than eager to ignore it.

"It is. It's Borrower friendly, too." He smiled down at me, trying to get me to respond. I only watched him quietly. "I mean, I couldn't exactly rebuild all the passages you and your family must have built. But Haru isn't around anymore."

That got my attention. While I hadn't actively thought of Haru in the house—if only for the reason I believed Sho wouldn't bring me here if she _was_ still here—there was the curiosity since he brought it up.

"It's a bit tragic," he continued despite my silence. "She was caught upstairs in the attic when the fire broke out. Before, Aunt Sadako had lifted the stairwell to the attic and shut it. It wouldn't have been a problem if not for the fire. It ate away at the stairs and even if the fire department had arrived earlier, there was no way for them to get to her."

The silence was heavier this time and I wondered if it was wrong for me not to feel pity on the horrid woman that had nearly destroyed my family. We turned a corner and ended up in the kitchen, much more modern than the one in my memories.

Mari turned, mouth open as if to say something, but stopped herself short when she saw me in Sho's hand. Her lips tipped upward in a smile as she watched me.

"Well good morning, sleepy head! I hope you're hungry because I cooked some eggs, bacon and toast. You'd better eat it fast before Sho gets to it. Otherwise, there might not be even a crumb left!" She smiled brightly at her joke, obviously trying to get me to smile or laugh.

A little smile cracked the corner of my mouth and Mari's own grin doubled.

"I knew there had to be a smile in there somewhere. Come on, hun, we can talk about where you're going to be staying for a while."

"She's staying here, Mari. There's no question to it." Sho's voice was deeper, firmer than anything I had ever remembered from him.

"Oh hush, Sho. I didn't say anything about her leaving. But you can't expect her to sleep in that dollhouse can you? I mean, it may be just as nice as the old one, but you can't seriously expect a girl to stay in that! How much closet space does it have? How about running water? Or a fridge or icebox for her to store her own food in?" Mari went on and one, lecturing Sho on one thing or another.

At that point, I tuned her out, just laying in Sho's hand and watching the way the sun reflected off the dust motes in the air.


	5. Chapter 5

Dang…watching dust motes rather than listening to people argue about your living arrangements? Arrietty must be depressed. Bless her heart.

As always, I own jack-diddly when it comes to "The Borrower Arrietty," "The Borrowers," or anything related to Studio Ghibli's amazing work. I just own Mari and this plot line. Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Forever<p>

Chapter 5

* * *

><p>"Listen, Sho, you have to think about what Arrietty needs, not just what you want." Arrietty could hear the concern and exhaustion plaguing Mari's voice. The two siblings had been arguing for almost an hour now.<p>

"You think I'm not? What do you want me to do, Mari? Set her free and let her make her own way out there like she's a wild bird? You don't understand! She's…" He cut himself off and took a breath, brown eyes glanced down at me when he thought I wasn't paying attention. "She means a lot to me. She's been my best friend since I was a runt."

Mari slammed her spatula on the counter. "I didn't say anything like that, Sho! And quit putting words in my mouth. I'm not saying she's not human. She's just as human as you and me. So shut your trap and listen to what I am saying! I'm saying you need to think about caring for her just like how you would think about caring for a new baby. You've got the dollhouse for her, great! But, is it like the one Aunt Sadako's father had made? Does the stove work? Does the water run? Think, Sho."

Sho was quiet for a minute. I suppose he was thinking about what Mari had said. She did have a point. How was I going to make my way around this house without the passages my father and all the other families had made within the walls? I guess it really didn't matter, though. Once I was healthy enough, I going to leave and find Spiller. Maybe I could find some clues about my family. I gave a small sigh and let my shoulders slump back into Sho's hand.

Sho bit his lip, watching me with concern. Maybe he could tell I was tired. I'm not really sure. I met his gaze for a few minutes before turning my attention back to the window and the faint sun drifting through it.

"Well," he began, "Aunt Sadako kept the name of the original craftsman who built the old doll house. I could look him up and see if he's still in business. Then look into connecting the house to the pipes. But the house itself is still fairly large. There's plenty of 'closet space' like you said. There's all the rooms to move through and a kitchen. If she had a working stove she could be pretty much self-sufficient." He smiled down at me. "What do you think of that, Arrietty?"

"That would be nice. I mean, that would nice while I'm here."

"What do you mean 'while you're here'? Where else would you go, Arrietty? Your parents—"

"Sho!" Mari cut in, her eyes hard. She pinched her fingers together and slid them across her mouth in warning to my human protector. I had to wonder what that was about.

He sighed and settled onto a barstool next to the island. "I'm sorry, Arrietty. I'm just very concerned about you. You understand that, right?"

"I understand, Sho." I gave him a little smile.

This only made him frown and his other hand came up and traced the side of my face with a fingertip. The finger brushed over my hair and came back to linger on my face again. What was wrong? I didn't understand why he was so upset all of a sudden.

"Sho," Mari called, bringing his attention back to her. "We can fix the house without hooking it into the wall with the pipes. That would take a lot of work and money. I bet there are things we can take out of the house and store two tanks in there. Have one that's a thermal tank to store hot water and one that's a cooler tank for the cold water. Then just refill them when they're needed." She took Sho's wrist and turned gently to where she could see me. "What do you think of that, Arrietty?"

"That seems like a nice idea," I said. Mari frowned at me as well. Why were they so upset with my answers?

"You know what you need, Sweetie? As soon as that leg heals, you need a trip outdoors." She grinned up at Sho, her eyes dancing mischievously. "And I have been trying to get Sho back on my horses for a while now."

"Mari, I am not getting back up on your devil horses!" Sho protested.

Mari laughed. "I promise not to put you back up on Prince Charming." She winked down at me. "I stuck him up on my show stud the first time out at my ranch. He told me he knew how to ride a horse and got all upset when I asked how much experience he had. 'More than enough' he told me!" She laughed at her gruff imitation of Sho. I smiled a little more.

"So, I tacked up my stud and put them both in the round pen. They were perfectly safe!"

"Safe my foot," Sho grumbled. "That horse took off with me as soon as you let go of the bridle!"

Mari grinned again. "Oh you were in a high round-pen. You couldn't have gone anywhere except in a circle. And you shouldn't have tried to get off when he was still going! Geeze, what was your experience? The pony rides at the fairs?"

Sho blushed and Mari laughed loudly. I cringed slightly from the volume but neither human seemed to notice. She calmed herself after a minute and wiped at her eyes.

"Oh, I should have guessed! Well, you can come out and I'll put you up on my dead-head gelding. He's about as broke as you get. It takes a whole lot to get him up and moving. You can ride him and Arrietty and I will ride my broodmare."

"Why should Arrietty ride with you? She's my guest. She should stay with me!" Sho protested.

I watched as they went back and forth again. Mari insisted that I ride with her because it was her horses and she was the more experienced rider. Sho would need both his hands to ride safely. But he pointed out that I could ride in his shirt pocket. Mari debunked that because the gelding's trot wasn't smooth in the least and Sho's bouncing would only make the ride worse. The broodmare that Mari was going to ride was a different breed that was specifically bred for its smooth walk. Sho said then he should ride that horse and I could ride in his pocket. Mari said that wouldn't work either because the broodmare had certain cues to get her into the special walks and Sho didn't know them and Mari didn't want Sho spoiling what the mare had learned.

After a few minutes both human faces turned to me and spoke at the same time. "What do you think, Arrietty?" I grinned when they glared at each other again before Sho spoke up.

"Who do you want to ride with? Apparently, I won't be allowed on Mari's special horse."

Mari rolled her eyes. "She's the only mare I've got. I'm not even sure I'm going to keep and invest in showing and breeding her. I need her to remain at a high resell value if I don't keep her. You have to think money on these horses, Sho."

Sho pursed his lips and turned to look back at me. "What do want to do, Arrietty? We'll leave it up to you."

I looked back and forth between the two, trying to figure out what they wanted from me. "Well, I suppose I would be safer with Mari since she has more experience, right?"

Mari looked at Sho and grinned. "See, Sho? Girls have the brains. She knows what's best. Besides, we have a while yet before we go out. Who knows? She may just change her mind and I may change mine." She reached over and pinched Sho's cheeks as he just glared at her.

"Now cheer up." She cleared away the dishes from breakfast and loaded up the dishwasher. "I have to get back to my place, Sho. I was able to get one of my neighbors to go feed this morning but I still need to clean out the stalls and drag the arena. Plus, one of my mares is about to drop her foal and I should really be there." Mari came and placed a kiss on Sho's cheek and waved down to me. "It was nice to meet you, Arrietty. I'm sure we'll see each other soon."

I nod up to her. "It was nice to meet you, too, Mari."

"See you later, Mari," Sho said as she walked out the door. He turned and smiled back at me. "Would you like a bath or anything? The doll house faucets don't work, but the tub is removable. I can fill it up with water and empty it when you're done."

I thought about it for a minute. It sounded like a great idea. I hadn't had a hot bath that I didn't have to lug buckets back and forth to a communal tub then empty out the tub myself since we left this house years ago. But still, that sounded like a lot of effort on Sho's part. I really didn't want him to have to take care of me anymore than he had to.

"If it wouldn't be too much trouble," I said. "That would be nice. I haven't had a hassle-free bath since I left here." I couldn't help how my voice dropped on the last words. I didn't really mean for it to waver and new tears to prick my eyes. Just being with Sho and talking about anything seemed to connect back to my family and remind me of my loss. I felt so devastated. So utterly alone and devastated.

He shook his head. "It's never a trouble. Nothing is a trouble for you, Arrietty. You ought to know that by now."

That was sweet and I wondered why my stomach knotted at Sho's words. It was probably the remains of my minimal breakfast settling in my stomach.

Sho carried me back upstairs, setting me down on a pillow on his messy bed. The sheets were strewn about and the quilt was bunched up at the foot of the bed. Apparently Sho was a restless sleeper. I guess he noticed me looking at his bed and smiled sheepishly.

"I'm not normally such a messy sleeper. But bringing you home that first night had me so worried about you. You didn't wake at all when I got out of the truck and carried you inside. You were completely out of it. I couldn't sleep at all." His brown eyes watched me carefully, soft in the set of his brows and the creases in the corners. His whole body language showed me just how concerned he was.

I felt so terribly guilty.

"Oh." I hated the way my voice was small, quiet and so much like my little sister's when she was in trouble. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you worry."

Sho dropped to his knees in front of me, his eyes earnest now. "Arrietty, it's not your fault. Please, stop apologizing." His hand came up and wrapped around me in some form of a hug. "I really enjoy having you here. It's just like old times, only so much better because you don't have to hide anymore." He smiled and his fingers squeezed me just a little. "Okay?"

I dropped my eyes and bit my lip. How was I supposed to respond to that? I only felt even guiltier now. I nodded when he repeated his question. My nose burned and my vision was suddenly blurry. Why did everything I said or did only make him worry? I didn't want that at all. My shoulders were shaking and I felt Sho's hands cradle me. He lifted me to his chest and hugged me carefully.

"Arrietty," he said, voice dropped to a strained whisper. "I'm sorry. So very, very sorry. I wish I had found you sooner."

I shook my head, trying to speak without the warble in my voice. "It's not your fault, Sho. Don't blame yourself."

"Don't blame yourself, either, Arrietty. You couldn't have done anything."

"I know, I know. I just…I just can't help feeling like I should have done something. It doesn't matter that I couldn't. I just should have done something." I sniffed and scrubbed at my eyes.

"Arrietty, there wasn't anything you could have done. You aren't strong enough to fight off a raccoon-dog."

"Don't you think I know that?" I didn't mean to snap. Honestly, I didn't. "Sometimes I hate being so small. I hate being a little speck of nothing that can't do anything for itself."

Sho was quick to respond, ignoring the snap and just trying to calm me down. "Arrietty, don't say that. You shouldn't be ashamed of who you are!" He pulled me back and tried to get me to meet his eyes. "Arrietty, I love the Borrower you."


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to "The Secret World of Arrietty" by Studio Ghibli/Disney or "The Borrowers" by Mary Norton. If I did, I wouldn't have to worry about next month's rent/bills. -_-

* * *

><p>Forever<p>

Chapter 6

* * *

><p>"L-lo-love?" I stuttered. Heat flooded my face and neck. "Surely you don't mean…" No, he couldn't possibly!<p>

"I do, Arrietty." His voice was calm even as his focus darted all over me. "I love you."

"As a sibling you mean?" My chuckle was nervous, desperate. "I mean, come on, Sho! It's just so silly."

"No, Arrietty, I don't mean as a sibling." He frowned a bit. "I mean, I am _in_ love with you."

"But we don't really know each other!" I protested. "I mean, we haven't seen each other in eight years!" My breathing sped up and I desperately searched for a way down.

Sho looked a little disappointed. "Arrietty, I'm only saying 'I love you' because I know what I'm talking about. As a child, I loved you. Although at the time I couldn't really have told you that. "He smiled. "I didn't really know it myself. No one had ever shown me what love really means. But living with Aunt Sadako finally showed me exactly what unconditional love is. She loved me when I was sick, when I was depressed. She loved me through the mood swings caused by my heart medication. She loved me through it all and she never once complained."

His fingers stroked my hair and down my side. "That's when I realized I loved you. At first I thought it was just like how Aunt Sadako loved me—like family. I tried dating other girls but none of them worked out. I got drunk after the last one broke up with me. Through the alcohol induced haze, I realized that I kept comparing each of them to _you_. None of them measured up."

The silence that stretched between us was deafening. "I—I." I took a deep breath, trying to compose my thoughts. "I really don't know what to say, Sho." I couldn't meet his eyes.

"Arrietty, it's okay." His voice was soft and quiet. "I can wait. I don't mind." He played with my hair a little. "There's a proverb that describes love in several different ways. The very first line is 'love is patient.' I'll wait for you, Arrietty." He smiled at me and my heart broke.

Tears poured from my eyes and I sobbed. My shoulders heaved as I shook my head. "But why? I can't do anything for you. I can't cook. I can't clean. I can't give you children or any sort of a life! I'm only a hindrance, a burden!" I curled in on myself, crying pitifully. "I should have died with my family. Then I wouldn't be a burden to anyone!"

"Arrietty!" His voice was shocked. "Don't ever say that, do you hear me? Never say anything like that ever again. You are not a burden to me. You could never be a burden—"

"Because I'm so small! I'm useless." I sobbed harder, trying to wish the world away.

The gravity around me increased but I didn't think anything of it until Sho's free hand wrapped around me. He lifted me higher still, bringing me close to his face. My eyes flew open when he pressed me against his lips. They were soft and warm and just a bit wet. I froze in shock. For all his previous declarations of "love" I didn't actually believe him, much less expect him to kiss me.

He pulled me back after a minute, setting me back in his palm. I scrubbed at my cheeks, feeling the earlier heat return with double its force. My stomach did an odd little flip flop when something tightened below. Those large, brown eyes of his just watched me.

"Now do you believe me, Arrietty? Do you believe me when I say I love you?" he asked softly.

I nodded my head. "Yes, I do."

His smile was so large and bright that funny feeling in my stomach returned.

"Good, I'm glad. I'll say it again: I love you, Arrietty Clock. I love you and I'm willing to wait for you."

"How did you know my last name?" I asked, eager to get off the topics of love and waiting. I didn't want to admit how much his words affected me.

He smiled and carried me to the living room. He settled us on the couch, still holding me carefully. "To be honest, I've met a few other borrowers over the years. They're in my graphic design office. At first they were really scared of me. One night, though, I was work late on a project. I glanced up to see them on top of the filing cabinet. I was going to leave them alone but the younger boy slipped. Luckily for him he caught the handle of the second drawer from the top and was able to stop himself from falling any further."

My eyes were wide as he told his story. There were more borrowers? That meant mother's fears weren't true! She would have been so happy to hear that—even from a bean.

"Before I could think, I was out of my chair and across the room. Carefully, I picked him up and set him on top of the cabinet with his brother and father. The brother—I think he may have been the older one—boxed the boy's ears then hugged him. Their father just watched me. Once I was sure they were okay, I left them alone and went back to work. About an hour later, though, the brothers appeared on my desk." He grinned as he recalled the memory, stretching out on the couch and setting me on his chest. He propped a couple pillows beneath his head so the angle wouldn't be too awkward on his neck.

"It was an interesting sight to be sure. Both of them were visibly shaking but they were brave enough to come see me again. Just like someone else I know." He winked at me and I blushed. "The younger one was named Toza and the older was Soka. Toza was the one who fell. Anyway, Toza slowly walked towards me and gave me a paper clip and squeaked out a 'thanks' before darting back to his brother. I just sat there for a minute before asking their names. When they told me their last name was Plug I asked why. They said it was because their family lived behind the plug.

"I knew one of your doors was behind. The grandfather clock that used to sit in the hall so I figured your name must be Clock. I was right, wasn't I?" His grin was cheeky and made me want to stick my tongue out at him.

"Yes, you were right. But how did you find the entrance behind the clock?"

"We moved it to clean behind it one day and Aunt Sadako and I found it. We agreed not to tell Haru because she'd probably tear the place up looking for y'all even though you weren't here any longer." He rubbed his thumb slowly up and down my back, just a gentle, no-thought motion. It was soothing.

"I think," he said in a reminiscent voice, "the worst thing about the fire for Aunt Sadako was the entire garden was torched, too. All the flowers were completely wiped out. The gazebo, too. Nothing was left. We rebuilt this house exactly where the old one stood but put in a guest house where the gazebo used to be. Actually, it's a little father back but all the same. Mari usually stays there when she sleeps over. She's more than welcome to stay in the house but she likes the guest house." He laughed to himself.

"She probably sleeps in the buff." I rolled my eyes and Sho laughed harder. "Well, it's a theory. There's been a time or two she's come in the house still pulling on a shirt. If that's the case, I have no problems with her sleeping in the guest house."

"You're such a loving brother." I laughed when he arched a brow at my sarcastic tone. "I bet you don't even make her pay for part of the electricity."

It was Sho's turn to roll his eyes. "She pays for about a quarter of the bill. She keeps the place stocked with food in a mini-fridge and a little shelving unit above it. She's a bit messy, though, and has had a couple problems with ants."

"Oh, well, I hope they weren't too bad."

"Nah, not really. A little bit of Raid knocked them right out." He shook his head and turned on the television.

The rest of the day was uneventful. In fact, it was uneventful for a while. The days blended into weeks and, before I knew it, my knee had healed. Sho had made the modifications to the doll house—bickering with Mari the entire time.

Mari found out I liked to sew and brought me all sorts of interesting fabrics to make clothes with. When Sho found I had picked up my father's cobbler trade, he made sure I had everything I needed to make plenty of shoes. I was flattered to have friends as good as these.

The weight on my heart lessened more and more as time passed. My guilt eased with it. Although I still missed my family, the wish to die so I could be with them vanished. In its place was the perspective of having narrowly avoided death and of having gained a new lease on life.

Sho and Mari certainly helped. Sho became unafraid to call me "beautiful" and "love." His favorite way to wake me up in the morning was to tell me "Good morning, Beautiful. Never forget how much I love you." But how could I forget? His words and actions were permanently ingrained in my memory. No matter I how I would turn out to feel for him, I would always remember just how much he loved me.

I glanced out the window one quiet afternoon and realized it was the middle of summer. Somehow, time had slipped away from me. My birthday was coming soon. I wasn't sure of the exact date, I only knew it was when the first leaf on the great oak in the garden turned colors. While the garden was only grass now, the massive tree still loomed over the fence and driveway.

"What are you thinking about?" Sho said as he came up behind me.

"Nothing much. My birthday is coming up soon." It wasn't meant to be a hint, just a benign statement.

Sho, however, saw it differently. "That so? Well, we need to have a party! You'll be twenty-three, right? When is it?"

"There's no need for a party. I've never had one before. Why start now? And yes, I'll be twenty-three, you stalker. And sorry, I'm not sure when the date is. It's just always been when the first leaf on the great oak turns colors." How many questions could I answer in one breath? I thought I may had just set a record.

"One, I'm not a stalker. I've just kept track of your age." He grinned and I muttered "stalker" playfully under my breath. He ignored me with yet another grin and a roll of his eyes. "Two, you will have a party. No if's and's or but's about it! And three, we'll pick a date since you don't have an exact one. When the first leaf turns, you said? That sounds like the first day of autumn." He was quiet for a moment. "How about this: I go get the calendar and we see when the first day of fall is this year. Then, if you like the day, we can call that your birthday. What do you think?"

I was left speechless at how much he apparently thought of me to help me _officially_ pick a date for my birthday. While I realized that he told me he loved me, to have him show it to such an extent was flooring. All I could do was nod I his direction when he called again.

He stood and left the room. I heard him squabble with Mari for a moment about party planning before she realized he meant a party for me. After that, she was helping him hunt down a wall calendar before I heard her exclaim something.

"I'm such a dork! I have a calendar app on my iPad." I heard her running before the back door opened and closed. I saw her dart across the yard, her strides incredibly long and ground-eating. She disappeared into the guest house and reappeared a minute later. Again, she crossed the yard with amazing strides and I heard her come inside. Sho entered the room at the same time she did.

He had what I guessed was the iPad in his hand, flicking his finger across the screen. For a moment, he and Mari hovered above me. It was funny how both their eyes were riveted to the flat, black box. Sho knelt beside me and propped the iPad up where I could easily see it.

"Here." He tapped one box in the calendar. "This is the first day of autumn. Well, actually, it's the Autumn Equinox but this calendar doesn't have the first day of fall marked. This year, it's September 22 for the Equinox. Does that sound good?"

I sat there and thought for a minute. Each year my birthday was different. Some years it came late in August. Sometimes it was in mid-to-late September. A set date would be nice. I nodded and looked back and forth between Mari and Sho.

"Thank you so very much! September 22 sounds wonderful. You are both great friends." Mari chuckled as Sho's smile took my breath away and made my stomach do acrobatics.

"Y'know, Arrietty," Mari said, sporting a teasing grin. "Sho is more than willing to be more than a friend to you." She laughed outright when Sho gasped her name in a strangled voice. "Oh come on. I know you told her. Plus, it seems like every time we go grocery shopping together, you're always asking how you can show her your love and try something that may make her feel the same." She laughed again when Sho and I both turned red. "Whoops! Did I say too much? Silly me."

"Mari," Sho practically growled even as his cheeks flushed. "I can't believe you would blurt out something like that! I told you those things in confidence."

"Aww, is my baby brother embarrassed?" Mari cooed. When she reached out to pinch his cheeks, though, Sho tackled her to the ground and began to mercilessly tickle her. Mari squealed and writhed under him and I just sat there and laughed. That is, until she managed to get out from under Sho.

She looked at me with a certain glint in her eye and I had the feeling I was about to regret laughing. Before I could realize it, she had managed to pin me and was tickling me in much the same way Sho had been tickling her. My squealing laughter rivaled hers in pitch.

"Sho!" I called in between laughs. "Help me, Sho!"

"I'll save you, Arrietty!" he cried dramatically. He lunged for his sister, wrapping one arm around her waist and grabbing the hand that was tickling me. He lifted it off before rolling both him and his sister away from me. She squealed again when he sat on her legs, pinning her.

"I did it!" he said, one fist in the air triumphantly. "I defeated the evil hag that was torturing my love!"

"Hey!" Mari cried, grabbing a throw pillow and whacking Sho with it. "Watch who you're calling a hag! And get off me. You're heavy!" She grabbed his wrists and pulled him forward. She heaved her legs up and pitched him ass-over-teakettle, throwing him nearly halfway across the room. She smiled, tossed her hair over her shoulder and winked at me.

"That's how you rid yourself of an unwanted giant who decides it's a good idea to sit on a judo instructor's hips." She pulled her hair into a high ponytail and fanned herself. "Whew! I think I may have worked up a bit of a sweat." She laughed Sho muttered something unrepeatable. "Now then, who's ready for a trail ride?"

* * *

><p>See? Happy, fluffy, sweet and cute. Love and hugs all around! And all written by hand. *hand spasm* Ooww...<br>Oh, and note to self/readers, never trust Mari with a secret. She'll keep it until she decides she doesn't want to anymore and you never know when that will be. -_-;;


End file.
